Adductor Catheter Insertion Through the Knee Arthrotomy: Can This Technique Be as Safe and Effective as Ultrasound-Guided Insertion?

Background: Early postoperative pain following total knee arthroplasty remains challenging. We devised a technique for inserting a continuous catheter intraoperatively in the adductor canal and aimed to compare its efficacy and safety with that of an ultrasound-guided anesthetist-administered continuous catheter.

Methods: This single-center, single-surgeon, prospective, interventional, randomized controlled trial included 330 patients, who were randomized into two groups with similar preoperative status and demographics.

Recent advancements in regional anaesthesia.

Patient safety, improved quality of care, and better patient satisfaction and functional outcomes are currently the topmost priorities in regional anaesthesia (RA) and all advancements in RA move in this direction. Ultrasonography-guided central neuraxial and peripheral nerve blocks, intracluster and intratruncal injections, fascial plane blocks, diaphragm-sparing blocks, use of continuous nerve block techniques, and continuous local anaesthetic wound infiltration catheters are now topics of popular clinical interest. The safety and efficacy of nerve blocks can be improved with the help of injection pressure monitoring and the incorporation of advanced technology in the ultrasound machine and needles.